Add a Bit of Pizzazz to Your Summer Landscape

The summer weather and your busy schedule have left your landscape looking a bit weary. There’s still time to add sparkle and enjoy your landscape this summer.

Many garden centers now carry large size annuals ready to pop in the garden and add a little extra color. Or, invest in a few container gardens or hanging baskets. Set them at entryways, on the deck or right in the garden.

Replace faded annuals in existing planters and gardens to add a fresh new look.

Summer and fall blooming perennials and shrubs can be planted now for immediate and long lasting garden appeal. Just make sure all new additions are properly watered throughout the remainder of the garden season.

Add a bit of whimsy and color with some garden art. Purchase something ready made or convert one of your discards or favorite old items into a colorful garden accent. Gazing balls are back in style but so are bowling balls painted to look like giant lady bugs or covered with pieces of stone or glass to create mosaic garden art.

A bit more information: Add additional color and pizzazz to your containers with colorful dowel rods, stems from red or yellow twig dogwood and the contorted branches of cork screw willows and Harry Lauder’s walking stick. And don’t forget to tuck in a few fairies or animal statues for the kids.

Then look for some creative containers. Chairs, bikes, grills, old wagons and anything with a place to set plants can be converted into a planter. Or, paint them bright colors and place among your plants to create added interest and a colorful surprise for your visitors